As the rain pours down at 5:30 A.M. this morning, my husband is driving three hours to West Virginia to log a coal borehole. He will sit in his truck in the middle of a field somewhere, waiting one to three hours for the drillers to pull their rods, with only coffee for a companion. Well, I’m sure writers can identify with the coffee, but the rest – not so much. Do we forget sometimes how good we have it?

Writers complain all the time about marketing, poor sales, editing, and writer’s block, but isn’t writing a somewhat blessed profession? Think about these benefits:

< Work is indoors (mostly) with constant comfortable temperature

< You can dress (or not) anyway you want

< Using imagination and research, you can create something new

< After publishing, others can read and enjoy your work

< There is great satisfaction when a book is complete. Although there may be let-down

about what to do next, there is the next benefit

< Job security – When one book is finished, you can always start another. No lay-off

< Prestige and social acceptance – People are impressed that you’re a writer more

than if you were an accountant, dishwasher, or salesman, etc.

< Income has high end potential

< Writers have an active and strong network in social media, groups, and discussions

< Flexible time; Of course there will be times you don’t want to interrupt your writing

but when things come up or you need to leave you can “save” and go.

< Finally, writers have the opportunity to take themselves as far as they want to go.

Whether branching out to other genres, setting best seller marketing goals, or

giving advice to other writers, there is no glass ceiling, salary cap, or plateau. Every

new book has the same or better potential as the first and there is an inexhaustible

supply of stories and topics from which to choose.

Am I ignoring the drawbacks to writing? Yes I am. I believe a look at the benefits is a more positive way to begin the day than dwelling on negatives. And it’s certainly better than a three hour drive to West Virginia in the the dark and rain. Just sayin’ Jeanie Clemmens